Orange coconuts are more bright and vivid the younger they are.

A Orange coconut takes anywhere between eight months and fourteen months to reach full maturity. The younger ones typically will have a brighter color, while the older ones become a duller shade. Older coconuts also typically have fuzzy fibers and have a thicker shell. King coconuts can be harvested starting around 8 months old, and are frequently hand-picked to ensure the quality that comes with its young age. This means that the King coconut will usually be sold when it is its brightest shade of orange.

2. Fruits and vegetables can be one color initially and change into a new variant over multiple generations both naturally and through human interference.

Fruits and vegetables can adapt to their surroundings and change over time. For example, a scientific theory states that the brown coconut thousands of years ago had three palms in the same husk, but over time changed through mutations to end up having only one endosperm. Changes can also be induced through selective breeding. For example, carrots hundreds of years ago were initially purple, yellow, or white in color. It wasn’t until the 18th century when Dutch farmers purposefully cultivated orange colored carrots in honor of William of Orange. For the King coconut, it’s entirely possible that a genetic mutation occured hundreds of years ago to create the orange nut Sri Lanka is known for today and now in Tamilnadu and some part of Karnataka also available.

3. The King coconut’s orange color reflects its nutritional content.

As with any fruit or vegetable, the color signals the health benefits. A King coconut is orange due to a compound called carotenoids. Carotenoids can improve immune function and lower risks for heart disease, vision problems, and cancer. Folate, potassium, bromium and vitamin C are also found in the orange nut. The King coconut also has a higher volume of water than other coconuts and is often harvested to make coconut water. Additionally, the water is full of refreshing electrolytes while also having a natural sweetness due to sucrose and fructose.